I use a 2496 between my DVD player as a transport and a CIA DAC. The DA converter in the 2496 is as good as the DVD player, a cheap denon, but not near as good as the CIA. No crossover, but the EQ functions are extensive. I compaired My DVD to DAC with coax digital to DVD, 2496, CIa with fiber optic and couldn't tell the difference. I don't like the auto EQ, gives a different curve each time, and I don't like using an attached mic with the built in pink noise generator. In stead buy a rat shack spl meter and a test disc with 1/3 octive tones. If you get one with finer spacing you could use the parametric EQ, now I just use the 31 band graphic.. I don't use the feedback destroyer or the dynamic EQ, sounds cool but over my head. Room treatments are a better way to deal with freq problems but this does a real good job for cheap. There's no way I would take it out of my system. Hope that ramblin' helped.
Ryan